is the sound of the Strat in the cheapness of its parts?

Progrockabuse · Post by **Progrockabuse** » Tue Feb 03, 2015 7:50 pm

dezb1 wrote:
Progrockabuse wrote:I love strats!!!!
No shit, when are you getting the green one?

Erm it's a secret

Fakir Mustache · Post by **Fakir Mustache** » Tue Feb 03, 2015 8:13 pm

I almost want to ask if the hard tail models sound different, they seem to in the videos, a bit anyways, but they are not that common so I guess not that many people have played them.

dezb1 · Post by **dezb1** » Tue Feb 03, 2015 8:20 pm

Never played a hard tail

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Tue Feb 03, 2015 10:05 pm

I find Strats weird for the same reason dez.

The best one I've owned was an Affinity. One of the best sounding one's I've played was a plywood Marlin from the 80's.
I had a Highway One, some MIJ and a few MIM models, none of them really stood out in terms of playability or sound. The build quality was obviously better but it seemed more cosmetic than anything.

benecol · Post by **benecol** » Tue Feb 03, 2015 10:21 pm

A little bit like a shit home town (or maybe just my shit home town), I think you need to move away from strats in order to come back and really appreciate them. They're brilliant, but I think it's their ease of manufacturing (seriously: easiest project guitar ever - trounces a tele in the putting-together stakes) that makes them the ubiquitous starter guitar, a role they're very much not suited for (trem system setup confusing for n00bs, very much not the rock guitar sound you're expecting when you first plug one in).

Prior to my bitsa, Rhys'/my/Fran's/whoever bought it then and sold it off the site's gold 82 Tokai was my favourite. Ace guitar.

But here's a curveball: not usually a profile we associate with guitars outside of some LPs and teles, but a strat with a fat neck is a real thing of beauty.

dezb1 · Post by **dezb1** » Wed Feb 04, 2015 12:12 am

I'm glad to hear some of you agree... all the Strats I've liked playing bar 1 (my father in-laws 80s US standard) have been reasonably cheap efforts a Fender by Squier that I bought in the early 90s and wish I hadn't sold, an Affinity that I gave to my sister in-law, a Hohner arbour plywood job that my mates cousin would never sell me, and my Vintage V6. I've played decent Strats in shops but have never been able to justify the price of an actual Fender when weighed up against this cheapo list.

singlepup · Post by **singlepup** » Wed Feb 04, 2015 1:21 am

I think benecol is right on the money. I started with a Strat (like many others) and spent much time lusting after other guitars. Now it's been over 20 years since I got that first Strat, and I find myself drawn to Strats again. There's really no rhyme or reason to it; the Strat is just a good guitar with a lot of versatility. Plus, you can now get Squiers in Sherwood Green or Burgandy Mist...

dezb1 · Post by **dezb1** » Wed Feb 04, 2015 2:14 am

Mmm burgundy mist...

I started out on an Avon les Paul copy. However I've always been on the look out for 'my' Strat, used to have the benefit of playing my late father in-laws, which was rather nice (apart from the fact it was Hank Marvin red) however it has gone down south in the hands of my brother in-law... So I've stepped up the search.

robroe · Post by **robroe** » Wed Feb 04, 2015 3:31 am

here is 48 minutes of pro's not being able to tell the Squier CV v's a fender Custom Shop strat.

at the very end the guy liked the Squier CV the best if i remember right.

[youtube][/youtube]

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Wed Feb 04, 2015 3:33 am

robroe wrote:here is 48 minutes of men with cartoon versions of themselves printed on their t-shirts not being able to tell the Squier CV v's a fender Custom Shop strat.

robroe · Post by **robroe** » Wed Feb 04, 2015 3:35 am

ok i fucked that all up

here is the video im thinking of

blindfold test Squier CV telecaster test.

[youtube][/youtube]

anyways the CV line is the best guitar you can buy right now. not "best guitar for the money" im saying "best guitar period"

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Wed Feb 04, 2015 3:42 am

For the mainline Fender types I don't disagree with you.

My CV P bass was the best playing/sounding bass I could find at Guitar Center when I bought it. The darkly stained rosewood fretboard and highly dingable body will always bother me a little bit but overall it's a great instrument, which only happened to cost me $350 brand new.

robroe · Post by **robroe** » Wed Feb 04, 2015 3:51 am

all my guitars/bass have dings.

fucks i do not give

Rox · Post by **Rox** » Wed Feb 04, 2015 7:07 am

robroe wrote:all my guitars/bass have dings.

fucks i do not give

NickS · Post by **NickS** » Wed Feb 04, 2015 9:28 am

benecol wrote: a fat neck is a real thing of beauty.

Not with my short fingers. As an example, trying to play the 9ths in "I'll be watching you" on Rocksmith I doscovered I can't actually play the notes on a standard neck. I can do it on the Swinger.

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Wed Feb 04, 2015 7:48 pm

I forgot to mention the Peavey Predator from the 80s/90s. Another great playing Strat for little money, USA made as well.
Brilliant neck but the electronics could be better.

George · Post by **George** » Wed Feb 04, 2015 8:40 pm

my idea of stratty is probably different to yours

all sorts of things to consider in your experience today like setups and pick up types. cv 60s is an ever so slightly overwound alnico 5 set. I also think the zinc blocks add a certain airy plinkiness to them over the big steel blocks

also how they feel in your hands... My cv 50s is very light and with a zinc block lighter still which can make things feel resonant and generally more enjoyable to play

dezb1 · Post by **dezb1** » Wed Feb 04, 2015 11:38 pm

My idea of Straty is at about 43 seconds in, one of my favourite players just fucking about:

[youtube][/youtube]

awfurby · Post by **awfurby** » Sun Feb 08, 2015 10:16 am

I think Jonathan Richmannailed the Fender Strat (and he used the word "cheap"):

Born in the 50s looking so bold
Fender Stratocaster
Everythin' your parents hated about rock 'n roll
Fender Fender Fender

Wangin' and a twangin, sounding so tough
Fender Stratocaster
And the kids in my corner, they can't get enough
Fender Fender Fender
Like the wind in your hair when the top is down
Like taillights headed for another town
Fender Stratocaster, well there's something about that sound.

Like gasoline in the sand
Fender Stratocaster
Like a motorcycle at a hotdog stand
Fender Fender Fender
Like the Dunkin Donuts in Mattapan
Fender Stratocaster
Like the Thrifty Drugs in Santa An'
Fender Fender Fender
Well the sound is thin and the sound is cheap
Like a tin can falling on a dead end street
Fender Stratocaster, well there's something about that sound.

(Guitar)

Well how can it sound so tough?
Fender Stratocaster
And it's made to be treated rough.
Fender Fender Fender
It's got the ancient Egyptian script
Fender Stratocaster
It's got the wang bar from the crypt.
Fender Fender Fender

Oh you should have known it right off the bat
One look and you know it would sound like that
Fender Stratocaster, well there's something about that sound.

Like gasoline in the sand

Fender Stratocaster

Like a motorcycle at a hotdog stand

Fender Fender Fender

Like the Dunkin Donuts in Matapan(?)

Fender Stratocaster

Like the Thrifty Drugs in Santa An'

Fender Fender Fender

Oh and the sound so thin it's barely there

Like a bitchy girl who just don't care

Fender Stratocaster, well there's something about that sound.

Like Woo Woo Ginsberg at the juke box joint

You hear the sound and you get the point.

Fender Stratocaster, well there's something about that sound.

Oh Oh Oh Alright, etc.

awfurby · Post by **awfurby** » Sun Feb 08, 2015 10:16 am

I think Jonathan Richmannailed the Fender Strat (and he used the word "cheap"):

Born in the 50s looking so bold
Fender Stratocaster
Everythin' your parents hated about rock 'n roll
Fender Fender Fender

Wangin' and a twangin, sounding so tough
Fender Stratocaster
And the kids in my corner, they can't get enough
Fender Fender Fender
Like the wind in your hair when the top is down
Like taillights headed for another town
Fender Stratocaster, well there's something about that sound.

Like gasoline in the sand
Fender Stratocaster
Like a motorcycle at a hotdog stand
Fender Fender Fender
Like the Dunkin Donuts in Mattapan
Fender Stratocaster
Like the Thrifty Drugs in Santa An'
Fender Fender Fender
Well the sound is thin and the sound is cheap
Like a tin can falling on a dead end street
Fender Stratocaster, well there's something about that sound.

(Guitar)

Well how can it sound so tough?
Fender Stratocaster
And it's made to be treated rough.
Fender Fender Fender
It's got the ancient Egyptian script
Fender Stratocaster
It's got the wang bar from the crypt.
Fender Fender Fender

Oh you should have known it right off the bat
One look and you know it would sound like that
Fender Stratocaster, well there's something about that sound.